Vulcanizing apparatus



W S. ROBiNETT.

VULCANIZING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man DEc.1,1911.

1, 34. 9, 6 9 3 Patnted Aug. 17, 1920.

W. S. ROBINETT.

VULCANIZING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man Dsc. r. |91?.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

/f fv,/////l//////////////////// UNITED STATES PATENT oFElcE.

WINFIELD s. noninnr'r, or OAKLAND', cALIFonNIA.

' vULcANIzING Arrnnxms.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WINFIELD S. RoBINET'r, citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and vState of California,. have invented dcertain new andV useful Improvements in Vulcanizing Apparatus, of ,which the following is a 4specification.

This invention is al1-improved v ulcanizing table for applying heat necessary' to vulcanize inner tubes of automobile tires andy provide in a table of the character described a thermostatic control whereby a uniformdegree of heat may be automatically applied to the surface of the table. f

A further objectis'to provide a. series of pivoted clamps for applying pressureto the article'to be vulcanized, said clamps being slidable horizontally 'to Various pointsy throughout the length of the top of the table.

These objects are fully accomplished in the novel structure described inthe following specification and. illustrated in the ac companying drawings, in, which,

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved vulcanizingtable illustrating the method of its use.' A

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a block carrying the electric switch and means for operating same.

Fig. 3 vis a vertical central section of the block shown in Fig. 2. 4

Fig. 4`is a vertical central section ofv an expansible rubber tube.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a portion of my tableto show the wiring system.

Referring to the drawings, l indicates one of a pair of similar cast iron standards for supporting the ends of a rectangular hollow steam table 2. Journaled in lugs 3 of the castings 1 are ends of a pipe 4 secured in place by lock nuts 6. Pivoted on the said pipe 4 are ends of yokes 7 of substantially semicircular form adapted to extend behind and above the table so that the ends opposite the pivoted ends are directly above the pivotal points.

The upper ends of the yokes 7 are bored and tapped to receive threaded turn bolts 8 speemcaun 0f Letters Patent.

upper heated surface of the table 2.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920. Animation mea-December 1, 1917. serial No. 204,927.

ecured in lugs 13 on the castings 1 are ends of a U.shaped yoke 14 extending above and behind the table 2.' The yoke 14 has a cross brace 16 adapted to act as a support tilted backwardl on their pivotal points as shown atl 7".

The yokes are slidable laterally on the pape 4- as indicated by the dotted lines in- 1g. 1 in order to apply pressure throu hout the length o f the top of the table. g

In operation a small quantity of water-is placed inthe hollow portionor` the table 2 and heat applied to form steam. The heat 1s furnishedbytwo metal resistance units 17 bolted tothe nether surface ofthe table by boltsl 13, which also extend throu sheets 19'. of asbestos and metal keeper p ates 21. Y One of they metal keeper Vplates 21 is provided 'with a turned down member 22 at a right -le to the 'plane' of the table.

wi l suiliceto heat the table 2 without interrugting the electric circuit. i

crewed into one end wall of the table 2 is an elbow`29 in the opposite end of which isa bushing or reducer into which is threaded the central upright member of a T 31, into each horizontal end of which is threaded an elbow 32. Into one of the elbows 32 is screweda steam gage 33.

-Into the othenelbow 32 is screwed a bushing 34 into which is screwed one threaded end of a pipe 36 which has condensing coils 37 in its centralportion and is threaded at its oppositeend into one end of a coupling 38. Into the opposite end of said coupling 38 is screwed one threaded end of a coupling 39 having anenlarged head end 41 adapted to enter and fit snugly a hole Vin the lower end of a block 42 of wood.

The holein the center of the block is reduced in size as shown at 43 to form a rest n the member 2 2 are secured two bindingV posts 23 tol,.which-are secured ends of wires for the yokes 7 when not in use and when" for the block on the upper surface of coupling 41, and extends throughout the length of block 42 to inclose a coil 44 of spring wire.

The coil 44 is secured to the coupling 41 in the following manner: The enlarged head portion 4l is recessed conically at its top as shown at 46 and internally threaded to allow the lowercoils of the spring 44 to be screwed into it.

Within the coupling 39 and extended through a greater portion of the length of the spring 44, on the inside thereof, is a rubber tube 47, closed at its upper end and open at itsbottom end where it is provided with an annular flange 48 to prevent it from enterinr the hollow portion of coupling 39. The tube 47 has a circular opening 49 eX- 4tending throughout the greater portion of its length.

It will Abe seen that the elastic tube 47 closes the steam pipe 36 and is adapted to be expanded by steam and as it is prevented from lateral expansion by the coils of spring 44 it must elongate and press upwardly against the lower end of a reduced portion 51 of a wooden plug 52.

The reduced portion 51 fits loosely inside the spring 44 and the enlarged portion 52 rests on the top coil of said spring.

In Fig. 3, a portion of the -spring'44 1s broken away to show the relative position of tube and plug 52.

In order to prevent the collapse of the l mouth of the tube 47, a conical metal plug yexi 72 with a port 73 is inserted in the mouth of tube 47 and rests on a rubber washer or gasket 7 3 On one side of the block 42 is secured one member 53 of a metal hinge. The other member 54 of the hinge has a nut 56 soldered or welded von its upper surface. Through the hole in said nut and through a hole in member 54 extends a screw 57.

The member 54 of the hinge carries a contact 58 which contacts with a like piece 59 secured to a metal elbow strip 61 screwed to the opiposite side of the block from that carrying the hinge member 51. The block 42 is provided with a mortise 62 for the contact end of strip 61. For the contacts I prefer to use pure silver as it does not oxidize as it arcs.

The contacts are normally held together by a coiled tension spring 63 one end coil of which engages a hole near the end of the hinge member 54 and the opposite end coil of which surrounds a post 64 secured to strip 61.

A binding post 66 is secured to the strip 61, and a similar binding post 67 is secured to member 54 of the hinge.

One of the wires leading to the resistance units 17 is parted and the ends secured to the binding posts 66 and 67.

It will be seen that when the heat has generated a sufficient steam pressure to expand tube 47 upwardly, the plug 52 raises the bolt 57 and parts the contacts 58 and 59, interrupting the electric current and discontinuing the heat to table 2.

As the hea't decreases the steam pressure is lessened and the tube 47 contacts, whereupon the contacts are brought together byspring 63 and the electric current resumed.

Obviouslythe switch may be made to operate under different degrees of pressure by. adjustig the threaded bolt 57.

To protect the wiring and switch mechanism, I have provided a metal box 68 having slots 69 for removably' engaging screws 71 in the block 42.

What I claim is:

1. A vulcanizing apparatus comprising a horizontally disposed heating unit, the horizontal supporting member arranged beneath said unit and substantially co extensive therewith, a plurality of substantially semicircular yoke members, each having one end pivotally and slidably mounted on said supporting member and adapted to have their opposite ends lie over the upper surface of the heating unit when in operative position, and clamping elements carried by said opposite ends of said yokes to coperate with the upper surface of the heating unit to clamp work therebetween.

2. A vulcanizing apparatus comprising a horizontally disposed heating unit, the horizontal supporting member arranged beneath said unit and substantially co extensive therewith, a plurality of substantially semicircular yoke members, each having one end pivotally and slidably mounted on said {supporting member alid adapted to have then' opposite ends lie over Ithe upper surface of 105 the heating unit when in operative position; rods, one threadedly adjustable in each of said last mentioned ends of said yokes and having means permitting the manual operation thereof, and clamping blocks adapted 110 to lie between an end of said rods and the upper surface of the heating unit to clamp work between the blocks and said heating unit.

3. A vulcanizing apparatus comprising a 115 supporting frame and an elongated horizontally arranged heating unit supported by the frame and having a substantially fiat work surface, a horizontally arranged bai supported by the frame and disposed be- 120 neath said heating unit and co-extensive therewith, a plurality of substantially semicircular yoke members pivoted at one of their ends to said bar and being slidably mounted thereon, the other ends of said yoke 125 members being adapted to overlie said work surface of the heating unit and each having a bar threadedly adjustable thereon to extend, when in operative position, at substantially right angles to said work surface of 180 the heat unit, and clamping blocks interposed between the lower ends of said ad justable rods and the Work surface of the heat unit, whereby Work may be clamped between said blocks and said Work surface,

pansible tube closed at one end and dis-` posed in said bore, the other end of said tube having connection with said steam chamber to receive pressure thereinvfrom the said chamber, a circuit breaker member in circuit with said heater and mounted on the member, said circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact yieldably held in engagement, said movable contact being arranged in the path of expansion of said tube, whereby the circuit will be broken when the pressure in the (siteam chamber exceeds a predetermined e ree.

n testimonywhereof I affix my signature. i

WINFIELD S. ROBINETT. 

